


all I want is, and all I need is, to find somebody...

by Mellybear



Series: Flaming Arrow Fics [5]
Category: Ava's Demon, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gryffindor!Ava, Hogwarts AU, Hufflepuff!Gil, Ravenclaw!Odin, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, a swirl that shows inner thoughts of your soulmate, ava struggles with mental health issues bc of bullying, flaming arrow - Freeform, it's also a soulmate au, maggie is ava's best friend, maggie is trying to whip ava into happy shape like the fierce bff she is, slytherin!maggie, those are all just people that will probably show up in one way or another someday in the fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 10:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12130488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mellybear/pseuds/Mellybear
Summary: Everyone over age eleven have the spiral. Or at least, that’s the way most people understand it. To wizards it’s just one of those things. The spiral is in one place from the day you turn eleven. It works much like the trace, but instead of magic it tracks thought. But not just anyone’s thought. Not even who the spiral marks. But their soulmate.a Hogwarts/Soulmate Flaming Arrow AU





	1. Chapter 1

Everyone over age eleven have the spiral. Or at least, that’s the way most people understand it. To wizards it’s just one of those things. The spiral is in one place from the day you turn eleven. It works much like the trace, but instead of magic it tracks thought. But not just anyone’s thought. Not even who the spiral marks. But their soulmate.

The words swirl in the shape of a hurricane. The further out the words, the older the thought is. Some people believe the closer you are the more thoughts there are. Some think just the significant thoughts count, and some days there are more than others for that reason.

Wizards aren’t exact scientists, and they never care for the job. The spiral simply is. But some people have written books on their study. The hard part is, most people are private about their marks. It’s polite to their soulmate.

 ~~~

Ava Ire has a spiral on her knee. She has just been told about Hogwarts by some men claiming to be wizards, there to sweep her away with them. Then, the spiral on her knee. She wore socks to cover it. The wizards explain what that is also, and Ava’s mother seems aghast over it. Ava is eleven, and now she can see the future love of her life’s thoughts on her skin. It seemed a little mature for an eleven year old, but they insisted it was just something that happened to magical folk.

_~~~_

Odin Arrow knew his spiral was coming. But he hadn’t thought it would be smack on the back of his hand. His sisters commented that it was unlucky, but it was better than his back. All through school Odin wears a glove. Most students think he’s pompous about the treatment his wand hand. He lets them.

Odin looks at the thoughts only in private. He swears there’s more on some days than others, and he wonders if this means his mate has been closer. Right now the swirling thoughts think about a test in potions class on the draught of peace. Odin remarks that’s a fifth year potion, focused on heavily for O.W.Ls. His soulmate must be a fifth year, and he’s a seventh year.

  _~~~_

Ava knows her soulmate is leaving soon. She managed to figure out his age within not to long of having the mark. The passing thought of “third year is tougher than I thought” cleared it up. Ava sometimes thought of her age in those beginning days, so he would know. She wasn’t sure if whoever was on the other end got the message.

Still no one ever came for her. Her soulmate thought about his sisters a lot. They were second years, she knew that. His favored sister seemed to be Magpie. Ava wondered about the bird names, and wondered if her soulmate was named something bird related too. Would she mind?

She had never thought to seek out the sisters, the school was too big. Ava also thought it was too personal of her to do. Her soulmate seemed to get brutalized by them a lot from what he thought. Ava just wished she had an answer on the bird thing, because she was sometimes wonder about the oddly-named boy, Hawk who stared at her in the student commons.

  _~~~_

Odin didn’t try looking for his soulmate. It wasn’t like he knew enough about her anyway. She thought of a girl named Maggie from time to time, but there could be a million Maggie’s in Hogwarts. He wonders if his soulmate is a Ravenclaw, like he is. But he thinks that if they were it was likely they would have found each other by that point. Fifth years brushed shoulders with seventh years in the common room while studying.

But he didn’t squash the thought away completely. Would he want his soulmate to be one of the girls sitting around him in blue and bronze. Half of them preferred books to people, and Odin agreed. Did he want his soulmate to agree, or feel more socially inclined?   
  
Did he want a Hufflepuff? Someone who was often described as _‘nice’_ easily one of the most boring of compliments. To say someone is nice, is to say you don’t know them. Would he want to date someone everyone took at face value because of their general Hufflepuff demeanor?

Or a Slytherin? Cold. He could do cold, Odin liked the cold in fact. But did he want to end up with an ice queen? Someone who he would knew always had some sort of _plan_ behind every word they used from day one. He wouldn’t put it past some of them to constantly control their thoughts, knowing their soulmate could see.

He didn’t know if the way he shuddered at that gray image told him that he much prefered fire. Gryffindor was known for it’s wild children. Everyone in the house seemed to have wild hair, even the boys. Especially the boys. Their eyes went to match, they always seemed like they had a crazed look in their eye. Like they were constantly thinking about the next building they could jump off of.

His heart was racing thinking of a girl like that. But did his soulmate seem like that kind of girl based on her thoughts? His eyes travel to look at the swirl on his hand. Thinking about the paper they have to write and having a cup of tea with Maggie later. Odin is just thinking to himself that she’s not the girl who just had his heart racing at all, when someone shouted across the library.

“AVA!” The voice was a girls, and it sounded a little ferocious. His hand quickly began spinning quicker. First _‘was that my name?’_ then _‘Maggie?’_ followed by _‘hey!’_

“Maggie let GO!” Ava said as she was swiftly tugged out of the library. Odin watched the pieces fall together instantly before his eyes. He knew who his soulmate was, and she was just ripped out of the library by a Slytherin with green hair. Maybe his original assessment had been correct.

  _~~~_

 _‘Ava.’_ the spiral on Ava’s knee swirled quickly. One word. Over and over again. But she didn’t notice because she was face to face with someone else’s spiral. Maggie’s. Not that Ava was intending to look at the words, but the Slytherin had been unfortunate enough to get the mark on her face.

Maggie said it wasn’t unfortunate because now she could read backwards. Ava knew she was lying.

“What is your _deal?”_ Ava asked as she tugged her arm free from the girl.

“My deal is _you._ ” The girl retorted. “You’re not eating. _Again._ ” Ava looked into Maggie’s green eyes, and felt like she was stabbed by the look of hurt rather than anger.

“I was studying.” Ava said quickly. “We have O.W.L.s I’m just _busy._ ”

“You can’t afford to skip meals. I’ve seen it happen all this week.” Maggie was continuing to pull the redhead away from her books.

“Fine.”

  _~~~_

Odin studies the swirling thoughts carefully after that all night. The thoughts are arguing with themselves mostly. The first voice is angry with Maggie, the second reasons she was doing what she thought was best. Odin doesn’t know what the anger is about, the swirl is never concise. You don’t know everything. It’s like someone is across a room, and you’re listening. You hear what they shout, better than what they whisper. Anger, stress, and fear were the loudest of all thoughts, always.

Odin thinks about that for a few moments, her loudest thoughts weren’t about the problem itself, just the person she worries about. Maggie. The voice argued that Maggie cared for her, and was right they were unhealthy. But he didn’t know why. She prioritized her thoughts about Maggie first. It seems like a very Hufflepuff thing to do in his mind. Ava acted like a doormat. How could his soulmate be someone who got walked all over? Odin fought constantly with his own brother to be top dog, more often than not getting bit. But Odin always fought for Odin (and Magpie, though he wouldn’t admit it aloud) he couldn’t imagine loving someone who just let people walk on top of them. That would be the same as letting them walk all over Odin too. He couldn’t have that...

  _~~~_

Ava ripped her sock back up to her knee, tears welling in her eyes. She’d been in a bad mood, and decided to look at her mark instead of focusing on her own shit problems. It hadn’t worked out that way. Instead she was presented with a soulmate who had found out who she was, and was mentally expressing his disappointment. There was no wrestling, he simply accepted that he had gotten stuck with a doormat. No second voice in his head argued in her favor. She sat in the bathroom stall, letting out the smallest of sobs to herself. How did it get to this?


	2. Chapter 2

In a desperate frenzy, Ava went back to the technical scene of the crime. The library. The shelves were miles high, so much you couldn’t even see the top. Books flew past like flocks of birds. The Hogwart’s library was a forest in it’s own right. The only difference was this one was encouraged rather than forbidden.

Ava knew if they must have found out who she was, it was in there. Maggie had screamed her name in front of everyone, made a total scene. No one ever paid attention to Ava, so they were unlikely to do so on this day unless it was in that moment. She looked around in a panic, no sign of that boy Hawk. Ava’s bird theory was out the door. Unless he left. 

Then again, she didn’t know why she bothered looking. They’d said awful things about her, and even worse they’d been right. Ava was a doormat. She was malleable and always apologizing. Ava had been beaten down upon so many times that sh’d  become nothing more than a mess of anxiety. She hated herself so deeply she couldn’t be fussed to eat or sleep. Taking care of herself in any way was sometimes thrown out the door completely.

Maggie was Ava’s saving grace, even if she didn’t want to admit it. The Slytherin was always quick to notice when Ava shut down on herself. Sometimes it felt like she was meticulously counting every pea Ava ate from across the great hall.

Maggie nagged about everything, but somehow remained the cool, easy-going, popular friend. To everyone else at least. Ava watched as dozens of students waved when they passed her on the way to class. It seemed like everyone knew her. Ava felt like she didn’t deserve to be the one walking next to her.

Just like she didn’t deserve her soulmate. Even they agreed, whoever they were. They saw Ava’s thoughts, but seemed to have forgotten that she could see theirs too. Or they just hadn’t cared. Which was worse?

“Maybe I don’t want a jerk for a soulmate...” Ava mumbled turning on her heel away from the library. Grey sleeves of her sweater wiped furiously at her eyes. That was what she’d tell herself. She didn’t even want her stupid soulmate. _I hate my soulmate._

_~~~_

Odin happened to glance at his hand before going to bed. It was one of the few times it was left ungloved and in the open, so of course it would catch his eye. Especially the word soulmate. That was him after all.

‘ _I hate my soulmate’_ was all the swirl read. Over and over, on repeat. Odin felt a pang in his chest at that. He was a little offended considering the redhead didn’t even know him. She only had a glimpse into who he was from the swirl.

Unless...

Unless she found out who he was, same as he had. That had to be it. She found out her soulmate was the stuttering, pretentious, glove kid. And she hated him for it.

Odin forcefully shoved his hand away. He was being ridiculous, he hated her too, _obviously._ He’d decided so less than an hour ago hadn’t he? His soulmate was a doormat.

Did doormats decide to hate people? He looked again, she seemed pretty mad... Odin flung himself down onto his bed, grunting into his pillow. He hadn’t even met this Ava, and they were already having a quarrel. This was supposed to be the love of his life? Odin turned over in bed with a sigh. _What a pain..._

_~~~_

Ava bounced on one leg, tugging viciously at the black shoe strapped to her foot. With a ferocious roar, she threw the mary jane down on the floor, huffing as she stared at it. Hot tears streaked down her face, and Ava tried to keep it quiet as she could while she undressed. Her roommates had long ago cast silence wards on their four posters, but it was still rude to storm into a room while everyone else slept.

Other shoe finally kicked off her foot, Ava sat on the edge of her bed with a sigh. She slowly tugged her socks off, avoiding even looking at the swirl residing on her knee. From the day she got it she’d been astonished by it, being able to see another human's thoughts. That was as close as you could get to fully understanding a person, to know their thought.

But of course as time wore on and she realized it wasn’t as cohesive as one would have hoped, her astonishment turned into acclimation. Eventually the swirl was just part of her, same as it was every other witch and wizard.

Her case was not the first of being spurned by the swirl. She’d seen it hundreds of times, because teenagers were idiots. Their thoughts wandered to someone other than their already found partner, earning them a slap across the face or suddenly a thought about how much they hated the shoes their partner wore that day came to mind.

Just because someone was your soulmate didn’t mean you wouldn’t fight. Half the time it meant you were going to fight more than you would’ve with someone you picked yourself. Having a window into their mind guaranteed that.

Some wizards thought the swirl was to improve communication. You couldn’t not talk about something pressing on your mind when your partner could clearly read what was bugging you. It forced to people to talk it out instead of growing resentful.

But all Ava could feel was bitter resentment. Every fiber of her being was torn. Her mouth had a bad taste, there was a pit in her stomach, her heart ached so horribly. She desperately wanted to hate her soulmate, it was all she’d been telling herself since the revelation. But deep down inside she knew they were right.

Ava getting sorted into the brave and daring Gryffindor was a fluke, and everyone thought it. Ava was always bending over backwards, letting people walk all over her. The word ‘no’ was hardly anywhere to be found in Ava’s vocabulary.

Her uniform was thrown into the hamper for the house elves to pick up at the end of the week and wash, and Ava allowed herself to crumple onto her bed. She was exhausted in every manner of the word, since she’d already been running on a minimal amount of sleep when she’d gone through the emotional ordeal that today had been. Without even a spare second to think, her eyes drooped closed and her tear stricken face was peaceful.

  _~~~_

All that night, Odin laid awake in bed. His arms were entwined around his pillow, bent into sharp L shapes. He could do nothing but stare at the curtain and sigh, his mind was only filled with thoughts of Ava. He hadn’t really noticed it at first, but thinking back, she was cute.

Really cute.

Odin shook his head, turning roughly in bed to make himself comfortable once more. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach he just couldn’t shake. A feeling like something was changing. His breathing steadied around 2 in the morning, and his eyes finally closed for the night. He dreamed of bunnies, being hunted by wolves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update schedule? what is that? it took me a bit, but here's chapter two in which nothing of substance happens and everyone has lots of feelings!!
> 
> please kudos and comment, it really makes my day! you can also follow me over at shslnotsogrump on tumblr where I do occasionally blog about ava's demon and answer questions.
> 
> also edited the formatting of the first chapter a little


	3. Chapter 3

And so it was the next morning that under Maggie’s watchful green eyes, Ava sat at the breakfast table with a stack of pancakes in front of her. They were coated in syrup and fruit, which Ava argued accounted for all the food groups except vegetables. Maggie relented because it was the largest portion she'd seen Ava eat in weeks. 

Secretly Ava wished she could be doing anything else. Basic self care was not only boring, but it stood in the way of several other important things. Like getting to the bottom of her soulmate problem. 

She hadn’t told Maggie about it, but it was Saturday. There was a full free day to spend doing whatever she wanted. Maggie had already asked to hang out in the student commons, Ava would just pull her aside to talk in there.

 

_ ~~~ _

 

Once he saw her, he couldn’t unsee her. He hadn’t been searching for her in the great hall, the place was sort of vast to be trying to pick someone out of a crowd, but he’d managed it. She was sitting facing all the other tables in the hall, as Gryffindor was on one end. Her hair was always the first thing to catch his eye. He’d never seen hair such a deep red color before, and it really suited her. He was questioning if it could possibly be natural when a fist slammed down on the table next to him.

“Odin!” He winced when two nearly identical high pitched voices shouted at him. He turned slightly on the bench to look at his sisters and heaved a sigh. The girls were menaces to the school and to him. Odin envied his older brother, who never had to go to Hogwarts with them. Odin got through it by telling himself it could be worse, they could have been older or him younger. Then he would have had to deal with them for longer than two years at school.

“W-what?” He asked furrowing his brow. 

“Olai wants an update on you.” Raven grinned mischievously at him.  _ An update.  _ Odin rolled his eyes knowing that meant bugging him about his soulmate, the people he spoke to, and how pure they were. 

Normally the twin girls were dressed identical, because of the green and silver uniforms, but on weekends and free time they generally dressed drastically different from one another. Crow was fonder of slick clothing, easy to move in, without many frills. Raven was more preppy than her sister, and favored having bows on everything she owned. Whenever Odin went into Hogsmeade he brought back something for both of them, but they acted like it was something that was expected rather than an act of kindness. 

“P-piss off.” Odin said turning back around. “I d-don’t have any-anything to s-say to h-him.” The twins waited with blank stares for him to spit out all of his words, and Crow leaned in closer.

“Fine, I guess we’ll have to tell Magpie you didn’t want to talk to  _ her _ either.” Odin whipped to look back at the girls with a furious look. If they said something like that it would break his frail sister’s heart. 

“F-fine!” Odin shoved his plate away and stood up from the bench. “L-let’s go.” The twins hooked onto him easily, tugging him out of the great hall. Odin knew they would take him to the crap covered owlry, where they would grill him relentlessly as they wrote the weekly letter home.

 

_ ~~~ _

 

Ava snorted as her and Maggie walked out of the great hall, listening to the Slytherin’s story about a sixth year who’d been floating around by his ankle this morning. Apparently he’d cheated on his Hufflepuff girlfriend, and the group of Slytherin’s who heard about it decided to do something for her. 

The pair of girls brushed past a tall, scraggly looking boy being tugged on and shouted at by two girls who seemed to be having the time of their lives tormenting him and Ava smiled to herself. 

“Ow, Crow! Cut it out that’s my foot!” Ava’s face faltered, and she stopped in place. Maggie gave her a look, but the redhead pressed a finger silently to her lips. Ava didn’t turn around, but continued listening. Maggie was just raising her eyebrow at the girl, confused as to why they’d stopped dead in the middle of the entrance hall.

Suddenly Ava was rammed into by a girl about her height whipping the boy by the arm straight into her. Ava cried out, tripping backwards into Maggie. She winced and looked apologetically at her friend. 

 

_ ~~~ _

 

Odin’s sisters had always been rough with him, no reason to treat someone so tall and sturdily built gently. That didn’t mean Odin appreciated the bruises left from their rough housing and the fact that they climbed him like a jungle gym. He was forcibly tugged into another student.

“S-sorry!” Odin called out, looking down at the person he bumped.  _ Ava.  _ His mind told him, and his eyes widened. 

“Od- _ in, _ ” Raven whined continuing to tug him. “Come  _ on! _ ” Odin allowed himself to be tugged away, his neck craning to continue looking at the girl behind him. She seemed to realize she was staring back and her face flushed before she looked away. That was his soulmate...

Odin rubbed his chin and blew a sigh out from his lips once she was gone from his sight. 

_ What a pain... _

 

_ ~~~ _

 

“Avaaaa?” Maggie snapped her fingers a few times in front of the girl's face, and the girl had a look in her eye like she’d just woken up.

“Oh, sorry.” Ava said, shaking her head a little. Odin. That was the name of her soulmate who’d just disappeared down the hall. Hearing the name of his sister had been the first thing to alert her. The staring that followed confirmed it.

“What was that all about?” Maggie asked starting for the staircase to the second floor. 

“I... I need to tell you something.” Ava blurted out, clutching the hem of her skirt as she followed Maggie.

“Okay, I’m listening.” Maggie flicked her hair over her shoulder, continuing the long assent. 

“Um... Well... Don’t get mad but... That was my soulmate.” 

“ _ What!?”  _ Maggie had stopped dead on the stairs, and caught a few looks from different students who’d been loitering around.

“Shh!” Ava insisted quickly as Maggie whipped around, grabbing her friend by the hands. She leaned in close, grinning wildly. 

“That’s so exciting! Why would I be mad? Why didn’t you say anything to him?” Maggie was gushing now, and Ava knew it was best to let her get everything out at once, rather than try and interrupt her. 

“It’s... um...” Ava looked away, not really sure what to say. “He... Knows me. And... He doesn’t like me.” Ava confessed with her eyes focused hard on the steps they’d stopped on. 

“What do you mean he doesn’t like you? You’re soulmates.” Maggie scoffed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Yeah but... I think he wishes... We weren’t.” Tears were welling in Ava’s eyes, and she silently asked herself why she had to get a soulmate that didn’t even want her. That  _ would  _ be her curse. Maybe it was just that  _ nobody  _ would like her, and she’d just gotten the bad end of the deal with Odin.

“You aren’t making any sense Ava.” Maggie groaned, her hands gripping at Ava’s shirt desperately. Maggie had always been a sucker for the soulmate stuff.

“I read my swirl and he... He thinks I’m a doormat! He wishes his soulmate was someone brave and bold but instead he got...” Ava threw her hands up, dropping them back at her sides with a small  _ slap  _ on her thighs. “He got me.” Maggie sighed, releasing her grip on Ava and tugging her hand through her hair instead. 

“He’s right you know.” Ava’s head snapped up to look at her friend, who remained deadpan. 

“Maggie!” Ava whined a little. She should have known that the girl wouldn’t protest. Brutally honest was Maggie’s brand.

“Not that his soulmate should be someone else,” Maggie clarified. “Just that... you are a doormat. You should be more bold, Ava.” 

The redheads eyes returned to the floor and she heaved a sigh. Maggie was right, of course she was. Maggie was always right. The fact a twelve year old had just minutes ago figured they could shove through her like a french door said as much. 

“I know, it’s just... I don’t know how!” Maggie reached forward and gripped Ava by the shoulders, staring straight into her eyes. 

“You just have to learn to keep your chin up Ava! I’ve been telling you as much for years.” Keeping her chin up was easier said than done. Ava prefered to keep it pointed straight at the floor, trying to look as small as possible. The smaller she was the less likely someone was to notice the space she took up. 

“You can do this.” Maggie spoke with such conviction that Ava felt a pang of guilt for ever doubting what her best friend said. 

“Okay.”

 

_ ~~~ _

 

“Anything to report about your soulmate, Odin?” Crow asked with her quill poised over the parchment. 

“No.” Odin blurted quickly. Both girls turned on him, eyes narrowed. Odin realized his mistake instantly. He’d responded far too quickly and smoothly. 

“You dirty liar.” Raven said jumping up. “You actually got something?” 

“I-I-I-I don’t-,” Odin rose slowly to his feet, his hands held out defensively as if his sisters were prepared to pounce. “S-s-s-she-, I-I-I-I-,”

“Spit it out already!” Crow demanded.

“Ava!” Odin blurted. “H-h-her name... is A-Ava.” The twins stared blankly back at him.

“And?” Crow asked, still waiting for more information before she started to write the report home to Odin.

“A-and nothing,” Odin shrugged. “I-I don’t know anything e-else.” It was true, he really only knew her name, her house, and her friend. He didn’t know the ‘important things’, which to Olai, was her blood status and standing. 

“Odin!” Raven groaned sitting back down. “You’re so u-u- _ useless _ !” His sister mocked his stutter and laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world. Odin brushed past it, far to used to his sisters tormenting.

“I j-just found her ye-yesterday,” Odin defended. The twin’s deadpan expressions remained. They weren’t impressed, and Olai wouldn’t be either. 

“W-what about you two?” Odin quipped, thinking on his feet. 

“Us?” Raven looked up, her laughter gone. “We’re twelve.” 

“Y-you still have a du-duty to the f-family to find your soulmate.” Being family heirs wasn’t an easy job and no one ever said it was. 

The Arrow family was high standing, some of the purest blood to enter Hogwarts. They were rumored to have rubbed elbows with even the Slytherin’s themselves. Nowadays the Arrow family was reduced to a gaggle of children. Both the parents had passed away, leaving their five raven haired heirs. Olai was the oldest, and therefore in charge. Odin had always been the favored child despite the fact, but that didn’t matter. Now he was bottom rung. After that came the triplets. Raven, Crow, and Magpie. Magpie was the youngest, and the only one to not attend Hogwarts. She’d been frail all her life, and it was no surprise to anyone when a letter didn’t turn up for her. She was a squib. 

Olai had long wished to be rid of the burden, but there was no way around it. These days throwing out someone, especially a frail young girl, simply because they were a squib was frowned upon. Even in the highest and purest societies. 

Who said times weren’t changing?

“L-look.” Odin said firmly. “I answered your qu-questions. So I’m l-leaving.” He headed for the door and neither girl moved to stop him. Once he’d given all his information he was all but useless to them. 

“You b-better not say anything f-funny to Magpie.” He pointed at them sternly, trying to imitate their father best he could. “S-she’s your sister. Y-you should be n-nicer.”

“Whatever, bye Odin.” Crow turned back to the parchment, scrawling furiously. 

“You better bring us a better update next week,” Raven said in a voice laced with false innocence. She dropped it quickly, “or else.” Odin rolled his eyes, not at all threatened by his sisters.

“W-whatever.” The door slammed behind him, and the twins gave each other a knowing look.   
“Ava, he said?” Crow asked her sister.  
"Yep." The same mischievous smile was plastered on both faces.  
"Got it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey whoa that update today amirite you guys? I hope the hosts finally start realizing they all have/start talking about their demons soon!
> 
> anyway thanks so much for reading my fic, it really does mean a lot to me that people like it. please comment and kudos, it really helps me out!
> 
> follow me on tumblr @shslnotsogrump where you can feel free to send asks/message me about anything ava's demon or fic related. (I even take requests sometimes!)


	4. Chapter 4

At promptly noon, Maggie had caught sight of the clock and groaned loudly. After twelve chimes from the clock tower, she stood up collecting her things. 

“I have to go clean up the first year green houses.” She grumbled, explaining the abrupt departure to Ava. “Professor Tenebrose said it’s the only thing I can do for extra credit.” Ava nodded understandingly and watched Maggie’s figure fade down the large stone corridor. 

That gave her time to think, which she needed immensely. The redhead wasn’t convinced she could manage total personality shift overnight. But with the help of magic... 

 

Delving into the cave of pages and ink once again, Ava returned to the library. It wasn’t uncommon for any fifth year to spend copious amounts of time locked away with the books, but it was uncommon for them to focus on anything but the impending OWLs. Ava was not common, she had bigger problems than tests. She already knew she was going to fail anyway, and that was after her months of studying had passed.

That was why she needed this. Something that would make the part of her that was positive she would fail disappear. She just didn’t know exactly what she was looking for.

Back arched as straight as she could, Ava walked.  _ Just look like you belong...  _ Her mind whispered. A wincied look on her face, she robotically lifted her shiny mary jane off the floor. Her pure white sock jutted through the archway and just as she moved to follow through with her stride an arm blocked her way. Bumping into the arm, Ava stumbled back, registering the figure in front of her.

“H-Head Strategos!” Ava stammered clasping her hands together over her skirt, bowing nervously. Blue eyes scanned the red strings that cascaded off the girl's shoulders as she leaned down to him. 

Strategos Six was neither head boy nor head girl. It had been decided they really only needed one head, and they were perfectly suited for the job leading Hogwarts prefects on their own. No one was a stickler for perfect like Six.

Straightening the green tie that adorned their chest, a cruel smile graced their lips. 

“Do you have a note?” All students needed a note from a professor to walk into the restricted section. Ava knew she’d seen Maggie pulling off the feat of waltzing right in, but clearly she had no clue how to pull the master tactic off yet. 

“No.” Ava blurted feeling the prickle of tears in her eyes. 

“Ten points from Gryffindor.” They said without blinking. “If I catch you again, I shall inform your head of house to give you detention.” Ava nodded quickly, taking that as her dismissal and turning around. She bolted from the library, fleeing from the few eyes that were watching. It felt like everyone was staring.

 

~~~

 

Odin couldn’t believe it. Two days in a row now, he’d come face to face with the girl who was his soulmate. Had she always been there like that, always just in his line of sight, and he’d never picked up on her? Was that even possible? The girl was so... Red. 

Her hair, her tie, her cheeks burning wish shame. Six was too hard on her as an obvious first time offender. Odin’s arm crossed the desk with one large sweep, dumping everything into the depths of his bottomless bag. Tossing it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing (thanks to his charms it practically did) he sent a grunting noise in the direction of head Strategos on his way out. 

Odin paused as he exited the library. What was he doing? The sight of tears prickling the girl’s eyes had caused him to without second thought abandon his seat at one of the best table in the library. Admittedly that was really only something Ravenclaws cared, or even thought about. But every Ravenclaw knew just outside the restricted section was not only the quietest place, but also the most conveniently located hub in the maze of library. And maybe it was just imagination, but even the chairs at that table felt softer. 

But there Odin was, up on his feet and ditching whatever good spot he’d intended to hole up in for the night. And for what? Was he to go run after the girl who was supposed to be his soulmate. Stop her tears like some cheesy romance novels older witch house wives read in private. That was not reality. 

Odin watched her red locks whip behind the stoned corner and he grunted grabbing at his hair. His legs moved on their own, tailing at a casual distance. He was obviously trying his hardest to look as disinterested as possible, but it was clear he was the only one who even cared about what he was doing in the first place. 

 

~~~

 

Odin’s heavy, bagged eyes were not the only pair following Ava out of the library, but also a set of clear blue eyes. His brain nagged him not to get involved with the prickly eyed girl. He had a good spot in the library that day, and he was studying with the Ravenclaws. Gev was just across from him.The pin on his chest weighed heavier than usual and Gil sighed. 

“I gotta... go check on something.” He closed the books in front of him and neatly lined them up in his bag, struggling to pick it up under the added weight. He wasn’t as magically talented as the students who were able to fully charm their bags.

But he was morally just, and clearly someone had recognized that when they made him prefect. It was a position he was justly proud of, but the babysitting aspect of the job was no walk in the park. Babies didn’t have raging hormones on top of it all.

But Six was too harsh. Six seemed to always be too harsh, even with the first years who were just learning. He was known for taking points from kids who’d only been in the castle a few weeks for showing up late due to getting lost. 

Clearly this girl wasn’t exactly little, nor was she perfectly innocent like the ickles were, but she was clearly a good heart. And a sensitive one at that. 

So there he was two steps behind Odin Arrow on his way out of the library. The difference was the raven haired boy took several beats to stand and think. Brood more like. Gil didn’t even register him as connected to this incident when they happened to head in the same direction. Instead he whisked past him, focused on the girl.

 

~~~

 

“Ire!” The voice rang out clear and strong through empty corridor, and thick eyebrows knitted themselves together. Few people who would consider themselves so unwell acquainted with her that they referred to her by surname even bothered to talk to her. If they did, they were hardly proper with her name, opting instead for insults. Pausing momentarily, Ava watched as a boy with brilliantly white hair, and brown skin ran to her adjusting his bag. Gil Marverde. He was a prefect in his seventh year, and a Hufflepuff. Ava could think of no reason he had to speak with her but she went in his direction anyway.

 

~~~

 

She didn’t even notice the second pair of eyes, trying their hardest to pretend to be focused on the crown moulding in the castle. He leaned, trying to look as cool and uncaring as possible, just in case she did notice him. He didn’t want to be caught there looking specifically for her. This just happened to be where he hung out and listened to prefects nag children. 

That’s what was happening right?

 

~~~

  
  
“What were you looking for in the restricted section, Ire?” Nearly a foot above her Gil stood, trying his hardest to look approachable. But it didn’t matter how he looked, because Ava’s eyes were downcast at the floor. His words were too accusatory. Blue eyes darted left and right, the only figure in sight was Arrow. He didn’t give a hippogriff feather about anything but giving people looks that clearly said he was better than them. Gil didn’t think a girl like Ava was even on his radar. Good for her, the poor thing didn’t deserve that. Dropping his voice a little, just in case some unknown entity had decided to listen, Gil spoke again.

“I’m just asking because, I could help you get whatever you’re looking for.” Ava’s head snapped up.

“Really!?” She asked, clearly not mastered in the art of the poker face. She was obviously so hopeful she’d do anything. Odin scoffed to himself, what a rookie mistake. If Marvede weren’t a puff, she was opening herself up for anyone to take advantage of her like that. 

“Professor Nanezgani gave me a note to have unlimited access into the restricted section to write my essay on horcruxes.” The redhead couldn’t stop her eyebrows from shooting upward at that.

“Said he’d only trust a ‘puff with writing that one.” Gil laughed, even though that was clearly meant to be an insult on his magical ability. “Anyways... If you really needed something, I could help you.” Ava chewed on her lip uncertainly. 

“I want...” she paused sighing. Taking a brief second to scan the area her breath caught in her throat. Her soulmate was right there, within throwing distance at most. There was no way she could talk about what she was looking for if he stood right there. What should she say? “Something that will make me feel better!” The first thing that came into her mind. 

“Feel better? Like a potion?” Gil asked scratching his chin. “Are you sick? I can just take you to the Hospital Wing.” 

“Huh? N-no! Not... Not sick, sick!” Ava said trying to explain. 

“Oh, I know what this is.” Gil said his face suddenly wise and understanding. Ava’s skin paled. 

“Y-you do?” She squeaked. 

“You’re afraid of healers!” 

 

~~~

 

Ava was sick? Odin wasn’t sure if he was hearing that part quite right. They were mumbling. Odin’s lip curled to bare his canines. Didn’t their parents raise them to speak clearly?

“No I’m not scared of healers!” Odin’s head snapped up. She was speaking clear as day now. 

“Trust me, Healer Nervine is the best the Mungo’s had to offer, and she came here!” Ava was clearly protesting, but Gil was already ushering the doll like girl down the corridor. 

“She can help you,” He said meeting his blue eyes with her doe like brown ones. The fear in them was palpable just like the dainty creatures. “I promise!” Odin scoffed, doubting the sugar voiced woman could do anything but kiss a few scrapes. If there were a real emergency that needed an actual doctor, the student would probably be taken off-campus to Mungo’s. 

“Okay.” Ava agreed, attempting to stiffen her lip. “Let’s go.”  _ Crap.  _

Odin couldn’t follow her there. It was too obvious he was following her at that point. He’d have to stay behind.  _ Damn you Marvede.  _ He said sending his booted feet in the opposite direction. Why was he mentally cursing fish boy anyway? He didn’t care where Ava, or where he went. He didn’t care about anything. He was just... curious. Curiosity killed the cat was not a threat to a Ravenclaw, it was merely a challenge. Answers were made to be found.  _ In time.  _ Odin thought passing the paintings he knew would lead him to the Ravenclaw tower.

 

~~~

 

“Just through these doors here and you’re on your way to fit as a fiddle!” Gil said gesturing to the grand double doors. 

“By myself?” Ava asked fidgeting with her skirt. 

“Patient-healer confidentiality is best in these situations.” Gil said resting his hand on her shoulder. Thin, dainty white writing caught her eye and Ava gasped. 

“Your mark is so pretty.” The white words contrasted his sepia skin beautifully, putting the swirl in a light she’d never seen before. Most people’s marks swirled ink black. His face flushed Gil pulled his arm back and Ava looked nervously. 

“Sorry I wasn’t reading!” It was embarrassing for all parties when someone read your swirl. People wanted their thoughts, and by association the thoughts of their soulmate, to be kept private. 

“It’s okay. I’m the one who wears my sweater sleeves rolled so stylishly.” Gil laughed as if it couldn’t be helped. 

“I’ve never seen a white swirl before.” Ava said trying to explain.

“It’s not unheard of, but it’s especially common on darker skinned magical folk. It’d be hard to see in black sometimes you know?” He was being so nice to her. Ava smiled a little. 

“Well, if mine looked as nice as yours, I wouldn’t wear my socks so high.” Ava confessed, trying to make him feel better about any shame he might wear. 

“On your knee huh?” He asked his eyes traveling to the grey socks that went just above her knees perfectly. 

“Yeah. Better than poor Maggie—she’s in my year—has it on her face.” Gil nodded a little.

“Magnolia. Familiar with her from my patrols.” The red tint on both their cheeks showed they were both plainly aware it was not her just wandering the halls past hours, but rather skulking in the broom closets. 

“Anyway, I have to get back.” Gil said, trying to egg the girl into going in. “Everything will be fine!” Ava waved feebly to his figure jogging away from her as he threw a quick one over his shoulder.

“Everything will be fine.” Ava repeated.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got sick thanks to my dick of a best friend and have been pretty much flat on my ass unable to do anything through coughing fits. BUT I'm mostly back on my feet and ready to get back at it. I will be doing this fic for NaNoWriMo (yes that's technically cheating but oh wellsie) and I'm really excited!! 
> 
> anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please leave kudos and comments for me it makes me so happy when you do. you can also follow me over at shslnotsogrump where you can send me asks about the fic, talk to me about ava's demon, or even send writing requests (though I can't promise they'll get done always).


	5. Chapter 5

“Hello? Healer Nervine I’m-,”

“Ava Ire!” The dreadlocked woman called brightly from the neatly tucked bedside of a second year.

“You know me?” Ava asked still walking into the large wing of beds.

“Of course I know you. Your third night here in the castle you came in with a stomachs ache, crying that you wanted to go home.” Ava had forgotten all about the incident that took place her first year, but thinking back on it she did remember that happening. The healer really had time to remember every student like that?

“What brings you in dear?” She said patting the second year, who Ava now realized was unconscious, on his forehead lightly and moving away.

“Uh... Gil Marverde?” Nevy offered an empty bed away from all the other patients in the room and closed the curtain. Ava didn’t know how she could make you feel alone in a wing full of people. The Hospital wing wasn’t overflowing or anything, but it was cold and flu season, plus OWLs and NEWTs. Several people were down for the count.

“Gil? Why he’s such a nice boy, always helping out in here when he can.” Ava hadn’t known that on top of prefect duties he’d also volunteered here.

“Why does he do that?” Ava asked straightening her skirt over her legs that dangled off the edge of the bed.

“I think he wants to be a healer someday but...” Nevy laughed a little nervously. “Well we can all do whatever we set out mind to! I’m sure he’ll get it.” Ava was starting to wonder about Gil’s skill level. This was the second time a staff member of the school had implied he wasn’t the brightest spark in the blast-ended skrewt.

“But I mean why are you here? Are you ill?” Nevy said pushing forward with her agenda as she pressed a hand to Ava’s forehead. “Feels normal to me.” Ava looked at her arm, following the rich mahogany skin. Her skin looked so healthy, Ava felt ashamed of her own skin, covered with scabs and dead skin from teenage picking at her acne. She wondered if she had a beautiful white mark like Gil, but couldn’t see it anywhere visible.

“I want something that will make me better!” Ava’s hands gripped the edge of the mattress so hard her knuckles were white. “I’m-, I’m sick! I need something that’ll make me bolder!” A sudden hiccup of laughter came from the healer, and Ava looked up to see her slapping her hand over her mouth. As she did, Ava caught sight of her mark on the three longest of her fingers.

“Sorry dear, I didn’t mean to snicker.” Nevy stood up shaking her head a little. “You’re clearly bold enough as it stands Ava.” Ava stared slack jawed.

“A potion to change your personality isn’t a medicine I could prescribe you in good conscience.” Nevy pulled the curtain aside. A potion. Ava had what she was looking for. If she was refusing to prescribe it, that meant it existed. She’d get her hands on it no matter what it took.

“Well thanks anyway.” Ava said hopping off the bed with ease. “It was worth a shot.” A shrug rolled of her shoulders with ease, to say she really didn’t care all that much. Ignoring the kind words of parting, and ask that she return Ava walked on. She could do this.

 

~~~

 

Odin had almost saved himself from humiliation. _Almost._

He hadn’t gone after Ava and Marvede, which was a feat in itself. The only promblem was, he was still standing against the wall when he looped back.

“M-Marvede!” His mouth moved before he could even think about it, and Gil stopped giving him a questioning look.

“Arrow?” He said, running his thumb under the strap of his bag. _Crap._ Odin thought. _I called out to him before I even thought of what to say._

“W-what do you k-know about-about Ire?” Odin turned his head, looking down at the stone beneath his feet.

“What?” Gil laughed suddenly. “ _You_ like Ava?” Odin’s head snapped to him. He hardly thought one boy scout mission to the hospital wing was grounds to talk so familiarly about her. But of course... Gil was a muggleborn.

“Y-you have no m-manners.” Odin scoffed, rolling his eyes for dramatic effect. “No. I don’t like her.” Gil crossed his arms, giving a clear look of disbelief.

“Y-you like G-Gev Ast-Astraeus.” Odin spoke unblinking, stating it purly as fact. “I-I could h-help you find out... I-if he’s your s-soulmate.” Gev and Odin were roommates in the Ravenclaw dorms, it’d be no problem to find out through basic conversation direction and examination of the swirl.

“Look Ava was just sick okay!” Gil said his face burning as he looked away. “I took her to the hospital wing and dropped her off.” Odin groaned. He _knew_ that much.

“ _H-how_ is she sick?” This was the first Odin was hearing of it period. He had never once picked up on any sort of illness in the swirl. Wouldn’t that be something a girl thought about a lot?

“Didn’t ask. It’s _rude._ ” Gil said as if he was now the master in proper etiquette.

“Y-you’re u-useless!” Throwing his hands in the air, Odin marched away. Not back to the library, not to the Hospital wing. He just wanted to get the hell out of there.

 

~~~

 

It was just like a snake to sneak. So most people in the castle would say. But Maggie didn’t care. It wasn’t like she was trying to eavesdrop in the first place.

She’d just left the library, on her hunt for Ava. She’d finished cleaning the greenhouses early and went back to the student commons. But Ava had already abandoned them. The next logical place was the library, but again no.

This was _so_ weird... Maggie was just whipping herself around the corner when she heard it.

“ _You_ like Ava?” Maggie froze like a statue, pressing back against the corner. She just had to pray they hadn’t seen her. They kept chattering, so she took it to mean neither of them had eyes sharp enough to spot a snake in the grass.

“If I was a snake boys, you’d be dead...” Maggie mumbled to herself peaking around the corner. They were clearly having a squabble, and Ava was involved. But she was sick? Maggie didn’t think there was any way Ava could have possible slipped that past her. Unless she’d _just_ started feeling sick. But Maggie knew where she was now. The hospital wing.

And she had some interesting gossip to mull over. Ava’s stuttering freak soulmate was clearly taking an interest in her... Odin stormed off down the opposite hall, which Maggie was thankful for as she walked out from her hiding spot casual as she could.

“Hi Gil!” She chirped as she walked past. She’d missed the part about his crush on Gev when she was talking to herself.

“Hello Magnolia. Your friend Ire is in the hospital wing.” He told her his tone friendly but clearly concerned.

“Oh wow, thanks for letting me know! I’ll get right there!” Now it wouldn’t be suspicious if she suddenly turned up there. “Catch you around!” Maggie said running away, sealing her innocent lost friend act with a blown kiss. If she was a snake, the whole school might be dead.

 

~~~

 

If there was one thing your average textbook Gryffindor is known for, it’s doing stupid things. It’s like the lion in them can’t help but do something that’s likely to end horribly, just because it _might_ turn out amazing. When you flip a coin there’s a fifty percent chance it will be heads or tails, but in all actuality there’s always the possibility it could land standing on it’s straight up on it’s side. It didn’t happen often, but when it did everyone goes bezerk.

Which was why Ava stood in front of the old, beaten wood door. Carved hastily into it were several runes, the meaning of which Ava had no clue. Several magical folk used runes to cast stronger magic at times, and results varied. Ava hoped she wouldn’t come back with singed knuckles were she to knock.

Lifting a brave, but still quivering fist Ava rapped three times in quick succession. The door bared a gold plate that read ‘ _Potions Master’_. Ava took a breath, she could do this. The door swung open to reveal a woman several inches taller than Ava. Instantly realizing who the girl was that stood in front of her a look of genuine surprise crossed the alchemist’s face.

“Professor Bellarmina,” Ava nodded respectfully, avoiding the woman’s sharp eyes.

“Ire.” She returned, more like a question than a statement of recognition.

“I-I...” Ava looked around, wondering what she should even say. “Could I come in?” Silent contemplation expressed on the woman’s face as the professor contemplated the situation. Ava Ire was by no means Wrathia Bellarmina’s favorite student, in fact she was more her most loathed student. The mouselike girl had no natural affinity for potions class, and the sooner she got out the happier they would both be.

“Fine, come in.” Wrathia didn’t want to deal with the wrath of a headmaster finding out she rejected helping a student, no matter how much disdain she carried for the girl. They both shuffled into the small office, lined wall to wall with shelves piled high with jars of questionable content. That was possibly the worst part of potions. The eyes and tails that went into the process made the meek girl feel sick. Wrathia’s lithe frame slid into the chair behind her desk and she folded her hands in front of her.

“What seems to be the issue, Ire?” The lion didn’t come to the professor for homework help, so it had to be something significant.

“I need to know about potions.” Ava took the seat on the other side of the desk, trying not to squirm. The office was clearly not built for comfort, but rather practicality. The whole place was clearly an organized mess, and the only one who could understand the method to the madness was the master herself.

“Why the sudden change? You’ve been failing my class for five years and you’d like to turn things around now?” The words stung, but there was a truth to her words. Ava stuck her chin up, refusing to allow herself to be beaten down.

“You misunderstand me,” Ava said shortly. “This is a personal endeavor.” The professor’s eyebrows raised and a cruel smile crossed her face. For years students had confided their personal affairs to professors in hopes the older generation would be understanding and helpful.

“I want to know about potions that can affect personality,” Ava blurted to the sharp faced woman. She couldn’t let her cowardice get the better of her.

“Specifically?” Wrathia knew this was obviously leading to a potion the girl was hoping to get her hands on.

“Something that will make me better!” Ava wasn’t even sure if she knew what she meant by better, not really. Did she want a complete 180 from who she was now?

“Better at what?”

“Sorry no, not like that.” Ava cleared her throat, shifting her hands to sit pressed under her thighs. “Something to make me bolder. I don’t wanna be walked on anymore!” Ava realized in her desperation she’d begun to lean forward, hands gripping the edge of her chair. This was a woman who walked over her constantly, why would she even help?

But without a word, she stood and walked to a bookshelf humming as her fingers ran over the dusty spines.

“Ah!” The woman’s thin fingers wrapped around a thick leather book and she dumped it on the desk. The title was written in runes, clearly different than the ones on the door, but just as illegible to the untrained eye. “Page four-eighty-three.” Wrathia opened to a page, written in the same runes and dog eared the page, passing it to her pupil.

“I can’t read runes...” Ava said looking up from the book hopelessly.

“Then I guess you’re going to have to find someone who does right?” Wrathia was clearly finished having the girl in her sights. Clutching the book to her chest, Ava bowed in thanks and turned from the room.

“Oh and miss Ire?” Ava paused. “Careful what you wish for.”

 

~~~

 

Maggie couldn’t believe Ava. She’d always been bad at neglecting to care for herself, but this was a new low. Escaping the hospital wing while she was sick to continue working. Merlin’s _sock_ that was annoying.

She really didn’t think it was that hard to stay put in the hospital wing for an hour while she waited for a potion to kick in and put Ava back on her feet. But apparently for Ava it was impossible.

Had she gone back to the library Maggie would have bumped into her, and probably given her the nagging of the year. But if she wasn’t working there, where would she even be?

A guttural sound escaped the girl's lips as she swung herself out of the doorway to the hospital wing, taking off the opposite direction from which she’d come.

 

~~~

 

If there was a place Odin thought he could get alone time in the castle, someone always found a way to prove him wrong. Outside the queen sized four-poster in his bedroom, no place was sacred. At times even his own bed was intruded upon by unnecessary roommates.

The most recent addition to the growing list of places to abandon was the stairwell by the potions classroom.

 

Perched on the steps with a book propped open on his leg, Odin flinched as a manilla folder invaded his personal bubble. Shoved directly in his face, Odin cried out whacking it away.

“W-what are you do-doing with that muggle c-crap!?” He said whipping his head to look ferociously at his sisters.

“Borrowed it from Merita,” Crow announced waving the file. “S’for storing information. About your soulmate.” Odin lunged for the file the second those words left the tween’s smirked lips and she jumped back. Odin questioned if he was just getting to be too predictable.

“C-cut it out!” He demanded. “J-just mind your own business.” The identical girls looked at each other and shrugged, as if to say ‘ _fine, give him what he wants.’_ The papers were tossed casually into his lap and Odin straighten them.

“Good luck!” Raven called as the two scampered away. Odin couldn’t help but wonder why she sounded so sarcastic, but brushed it off. Those two were always weird.

In the folder were a few pictures, clearly taken without Ava’s knowledge. Nothing creepy, but also not something Odin would want to get caught with.

“What’s that?” A voice inquired leaning over him from the top step.

“N-nothing!” Odin said his face flushing bright red as he shut the folder. “A-Ava!” Odin yelped, jumping to his feet and shoving the folder behind his back.

“You know my name?” The redhead asked, nervously adjusting her grip on the large book in her hands.

“D-don’t you know m-mine?” He asked bending down to pick up his bag. This spot was off the list a hundred times over.

“Yeah...” She said slowly. “Why do you have pictures of me?” Odin choked on excess saliva in his mouth, unsure of what to do.

“T-those aren’t m-mine!” It was all coming together now. Crow and Raven had seen Ava walking down the corridor, and shoved obviously incriminating text into his hands. More like they tricked him into wanting it.

“You have them though...” Ava spoke as if she were speaking to a child, or someone who was a few feathers short of a phoenix.

“M-my sisters di-did it!” He said trying desperately to battle against his tongue. “Y-you can ha-have them! I don’t want them!” Odin slipped the three photos out of the folder, glancing down at them.

In the first her eyes were glazed over, and her plate was piled with breakfast. It had to have been taken that morning. Another captured her hair flowing behind her as she walked, books tucked in the crook of her arm. The last one was obviously of the girl captured in a moment of efficiency. She held a muggle pencil in her teeth, eyes focused firmly on the book in front of her as her hands twisted her hair into a tie on the back of her head. Odin wasn’t sure if the twins had a good eye for candid shots, or if Ire was just that photogenic. Ava took the photos and tucked them in the cover of the book she was holding.

“Y-you’re not g-going to l-look?” He asked. If he’d found someone with pictures of him, he’d inspect immediately. But the girl shook her head.

“I don’t like looking at pictures of myself.” Her voice was casual, as if stating fact, but in reality Odin thought it was sad. This girl really was that full of self hate.

“I’m leaving now.”

“W-what?” Odin’s head jerked back to reality in surprise, but she was already walking away from him. He thought maybe they would talk or _something_ but his mind produced the memory of his swirl. _‘I hate my soulmate.’_

“F-fine.” Odin rolled his eyes, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking in the opposite direction. He didn’t even get to ask about her being sick. Or why her book was titled _Unleashing the Beast: a Potions Guide._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter feels shorter but I'm not actually sure lmao. anyway I'm like 6,000 words behind for nano because I suck so that's fun. please kudos and comment it makes my heart so happy when you guys do. also I'm sure you know by this point buuuut if you haven't already you can follow me at shslnotsogrump where I post about lots crap and you can send me asks about anything you want!!


	6. Chapter 6

“Hey Maggie!” Ava burst kicking in the door to the Slytherin fifth year girls dorm. “Huh? She’s not here...?” In fact no one was there. Ava was sure that she would have finished in the greenhouses long ago. Where would she be if she wasn’t home? She’d already ran past the library and the student commons looking for her. This was the last place on the list to check.   
The tapping of footsteps on stairs caused the lion to jump like an alley cat. She wasn’t exactly supposed to be here. Crawling into Maggie’s fourposter, she drew the curtains and clambered under the green covers. If they thought Maggie was sleeping they wouldn’t bother her.   
But what about when Maggie did come home? “Who’s in my bed?” Oh no. Too late to think of any plans, because apparently Maggie already was home. Was she with roommates? Oh Ava would be laughed at, the girls would tell their whole class. The curtains flew open.   
“A-va!” Maggie shouted at her punching her shoulder.   
“Ow! What’d I do?” Rubbing her shoulder she came out from under the covers. Maggie was alone. This was the perfect scenario... For once.  
“Ava, Gil told me he took you to the hospital wing and when I got there you were gone.” Ava hadn’t realized that. Maggie had probably thought she was really sick, and worried Ava had bailed on being in the hospital. It was a very Ava move.  
“Where were you?” Maggie asked, her voice incredulous. Obviously Ava was not sick, she’d worked herself into a frenzy, and now the only pay off would seem to be anger.   
“I wanted to know about a potion...” Ava mumbled tucking her chin, eyes pointed at the floor. She actually hadn’t meant to scare Maggie.   
“What?” Maggie demanded, her face deadpan. Ava hated potions, this had to be some sort of joke.   
“I got this book from P.M.B.” Ava said, using the far informal shortening of her demanded title all the students used behind her back. She showed Maggie the book in the foreign symbols and she furrowed her brow.  
“You didn’t take runes.” Maggie pointed out. Ava sighed and nodded.   
“I know... I need someone who did, but I just don’t know anyone.” Maggie frowned, clearly now trying to think of a plan. She didn’t even seem curious about what it was, she loved plans and schemes so much she almost never asked.   
“Well I’ll go stand outside the Rune’s classroom and pick out anyone I think would be willing to help.” Ava raised her eyebrows curiously, it was an idea. Maggie could easily pick out a tutor of some kind, and they’d be less likely to ask questions.   
“What kind of potion did you ask for?” Maggie said suddenly, as if realizing the original purpose of this all. Interrogating Ava.  
“I wanted something to make me better.”

~~~

Odin didn’t want to look too suspicious about whatever this book could possibly be, but he had to know. Something like that sounded dangerous, and he couldn’t find it anywhere in the library. He just had to find... There! Odin spotted the painting of a young boy, sat on books stacked high with one open in his lap. He knew every single book in the library. If you told him an interesting story, or piece of gossip he would tell where your book was. He just liked to know things.

“O-odin Ar-ro-row has found his s-soulmate, and s-she’s found him. N-no one kn-knows what’s going to ha-happen next...” The boy with brown hair looked up slowly, his blue eyes dulled by being simply oil on canvas. But whoever he’d been in life must have had a sparkle.   
“Interesting.” Was all he responded, but that was an invitation to ask.  
“U-unleashing the B-b-beast.” Odin blurted, desperate to know.   
“Potions guide or Care of Magical Creatures fourth year reading assignment?” The boy asked, as if Odin should have already specified that.   
“P-potions. I-it’s in runes-s?” Odin looked around him nervously, for any other students. But no, few kids ever bothered with this corner of the library these days. The secret seemed like it had been lost to the times.   
“It’s in the restricted section.” Odin’s heart sunk. Ava had been trying to get in there earlier and now she had that book. Did she take it somehow? Why?  
“W-what’s it about?” Odin pressed further. The boy raised his eyebrows expectantly, his deadpan look remaining plastered on. Odin sighed, more gossip.   
“G-Gil!” He choked the name out, remembering his previous interaction. “M-Mar-Marver-Marv-,”  
“Marverde.” The boy finished impatiently. Odin nodded shortly, before continuing. It was pointless to mention he hated when people finished his sentence. It’d just take even longer.   
“C-crush on... On G-Gev As-s-straeus.” The boy nodded, his hand on his chin.  
“Interesting.” The painting was reliable with a secret, never spilling anyone’s dirty laundry. He kept everything to himself.   
“The book is full of several potions that will transform one from an average human into a... less evolved form. More beastly. The potions aren’t for the faint of heart, as they hurt, and if done incorrectly can prove disastrous.” Odin nodded, running his tongue along his teeth. Okay. Okay... He had to do something. Right? What if Ava got hurt.   
“Th-thanks f-for your time.” Odin said nodding a small goodbye before bolting away. Out of the maze of books, he didn’t know what he was planning. Probably something stupid.

~~~

Maggie sneezed as she entered the rarely touched wing. Somehow Ancient Runes had managed to tuck itself far away in the most obscure corner of Hogwarts. For the average Hogwarts student it was the closest thing to entering the crypts of Egyptian pyramids. The castle had adopted its role in this wing as the unwanted stepchild, hateful expressing itself.   
The walls were covered in runes, most left by passing students exiting their lessons, but other strange ones no one would own up to. There was dust everywhere, mimicking the sand that penetrated the pyramids. Not many students cared for runes, and the wing was thirty percent of the reason why.   
But Maggie had braved it’s depths for one thing. Fixing Ava’s problem. Of course Maggie didn’t have complete faith in this potion nonsense, in fact she was positive it would blow up in Ava’s face. But she knew this was an opportunity. She just had to find him.

~~~

As it turned out something stupid found him. In the form of someone stupid.   
“Arrow.” Her voice was sharp as the nail that dig into his ribs. Just when Odin thought he was safe with a runes textbook when she’d caught him walking out the great wood doors of the classroom.   
In her presence he felt colder, as if she herself was dimming the torches surrounding them. She was a freaky one alright.   
“L-Lacivi.” Odin rolled his eyes at her green hair. Of course it would be Ire’s friend standing in his way.   
“Ava just got this weird potions book but she can’t read the runes,” Maggie’s voice sounded so casual and rehearsed, as if she were foolishly caught on the side of the road with a flat. Odin straightened his spine as she spoke, failing at looking disinterested.   
“I figured I could come steal a runes student to translate for her?” Maggie asked without waiting for Odin to pipe in. Scratching his neck stiffly Odin shrugged.   
“Fine I don’t care.”   
“Perfect!”   
Somehow the form of something stupid had managed to take the form of exactly what he wanted. Access to that book and whatever Ava was doing. He just had to remember why he cared in the first place.

~~~

Ava tugged at Maggie frantically pulling her away from the dark wood table, muttering a nervous excuse to the other occupant.   
“You brought him?” Ava hissed ducking into the shelves nearest to them. Of all the people to ask her soulmate was last on the list. Her nimble fingers wove tightly twisting the hem of her skirt.   
“Yeah he was the only person hanging around the Rune’s classroom for no reason in the middle of the day.” Ava couldn’t argue that she had a good point. That was a not at all common pastime for your average Hogwarts student. Odin Arrow was always a weird outlier in that way, but that was the good thing about him.

“The potion is about his thoughts I read Maggie.” Ava growled, knowing he was likely to read the potions description and effect and piece things together.   
“Just write down the ingredients and instructions that’s all you need.” Maggie had already thought several steps ahead as always. It was actually a good idea, if he didn’t read the title or the facts he’s only piece together what he knew based on his potions notes. Defeated Ava was forced to trudge back to Odin, her feet dragging like cinder blocks.

“I’m trying to make a potion.” Ava explained, fiddling with the book to avoid Odin’s gaze, which she could feel boring into her.   
“F-for wh-what?” He asked, his eyebrow quirked. He was only there to be a busybody, of course.   
“It’s not important. Just translate this page please?” The book was folded to hide all the spells descriptors on the back half. Front and center were ingredients and listed instructions.   
“Y-yeah wh-atever.” He sighed looking at the book. “I didn’t care anyway.”  
“What happened to your stutter?” Ava blurted, before her face flushed, realizing she’s been forward. “It went away.”   
“I-I-I d-don’t.. uh... um... I-it’s j-just...” He visibly wrestled with his speech, clearly put on the spot.   
“Sorry, sorry I didn’t mean to ask. I’m sure it’s personal.” Ava said her voice tumbling out of her mouth, almost too fast to understand.   
“It comes and goes.” Odin said trying to make up for his own blunder, causing the awkward tension between them.   
“This is riveting and all, but I think I’m going to go.” Both looked as if they’d just remembered the girl with green hair was sitting in front of them, and their faces flushed.   
“Thanks again for helping Maggie.” The girl just shrugged in thanks, assuring Ava she would see her later.   
“Good luck book boy.” She clapped Odin on the shoulder and exited the scene.

~~~

Never in all his life had Odin day on the library benches so close, to such a nice smelling girl. Ava was leaning, eager to learn the words he would translate and copy down. Her red tinted hair slid of her shoulder, dangling onto the table in a small curl. Odin thought her hair must have been at least two feet long. How could anyone in the word focus when there were girls and their hair, oh lord.

“T-this p-potion has a b-bunch or w-w-weird stuff in it-t.” Odin said shaking his head.   
“Weird like unable to get?” Ava asked her face downtrodden.   
“N-not necessarily.” He said shaking his head. She could get them in the castle and Hogsmeade east, it was just going to be a pain.   
“That’s fine, as long as it’s possible.” Ava clearly had the resolve to do whatever this potion was going to take. Odin was starving for an answer about his soulmate and her inner workings, but his pride wouldn’t let him admit any such thing aloud. Handing over the list, he’d resolved to expect that he may never know.

~~~

“T-there... H-hope it goes alr-alright.” Odin was already collecting his things and getting up, when Ava noticed her face falling. Her heart had sunk deep into her feet, and she felt weirdly sad to see him go. She had to remind herself he disliked her. But it was hard to remember when he was being decent to her.   
“Thanks.” Ava said. Really he should be thanking he for what she was about to do. This was for his sake as well as her own. She was becoming someone for him. Hopefully he could admire that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoa merry Christmas I finally updated!! 
> 
> my computer has been broken so this is pretty slow going, sorry everyone. 
> 
> we’re gonna have a long hiatus ahead of us. 
> 
> please kudos and comment it makes me happy, and sorry for any awkward formatting or misspellings there was a lot of mobile writing.

**Author's Note:**

> Soulmate AU, Hogwarts AU, I'm just being trash for my own thirst here tbh. This chapter was kinda long, they probably won't all be lol but I just wanted to get everything on the table. Please Kudos and Comment it makes my heart really happy. You can also follow me on tumblr at shslnotsogrump. I take writing requests and just general chatter there :) thanks for reading!


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